The “Switch effect” was a phenomenon from the original Nintendo Switch that saw new releases, or older rereleases, sell surprisingly well on Nintendo’s platform purely because audiences wanted to play the game particularly on the Switch over other platforms. It appears this mysterious force might still be alive though, as 2020’s Final Fantasy VII Remake, or more specifically its upgraded Intergrade version, just dropped on Nintendo Switch 2 after almost five years on the market – and it’s selling out everywhere.
As caught by many social media users, and later confirmed by remake trilogy director Naoki Hamaguchi, Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade is currently sold out online and in-store at many major US retailers, including Target, GameStop and Best Buy. Whilst not sold out, it’s also a best-seller on Amazon, being the current best-selling Switch 2 release and in second place on the overall video game chart. Digital sales are also thriving, with Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade taking the top spot on Nintendo eShop’s best sellers as well.
The Switch has always been a successful platform for JRPGs in particular, perhaps in part due to its portability, and the Switch 2 appears to be no exception to this rule. It’s surprising to see a Final Fantasy release in particular do so well, especially due to Square Enix’s historically strained relationship with Nintendo when it comes to releasing their flagship franchise on Nintendo consoles. It’s almost poetic that the original Final Fantasy VII is what broke the relationship between the two, but the first part of the remake project is bringing the two back together in a notably successful way.
Even the Steam player count saw a slight rise following the multi-platform Switch 2 and Xbox release, despite having been out for almost four years on PC. We’ll be sure to report on the sales numbers when we have them to see exactly how well Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade is performing on Switch 2, so stay tuned for more coverage and other breaking gaming news.
